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The ‘100tífiques’ event was attended yesterday by more than one hundred female researchers and technologists from 13 public and private research centres from across Catalonia, as part of the City and Science Biennial (Photo: PCB).
 08.02.2019

The PCB hosts the ‘100tífiques’ meeting as part of the City and Science Biennial

More than one hundred female researchers and technologists attended the 100tífiques meeting yesterday at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). This networking and training event was organised to highlight the contributions made by women to science and to reinforce their position as role models for future generations. The event, organised by the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) as part of the City and Science Biennial, was also an opportunity for female scientists to prepare the speeches that they will give across Catalonia on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Monday 11 February.

 

The event kicked off with a welcome ceremony attended by the minister of the Presidency of the Government of Catalonia, Elsa Artadi, and the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau. Also in attendance were Mar Camacho, director general of Innovation, Research and Digital Culture of the Catalonia Regional Government’s Department of Education; Gerardo Pissarello, first deputy mayor of Barcelona; Susaina Figuera, project director for the Catalan Foundation for Research and Innovation (FCRi); Gabby Silberman, director general of the Barcelona Institute of Science (BIST); and Maria Terrades, director of the Barcelona Science Park (PCB), amongst others.

The Antoni Caparrós auditorium then hosted a networking and training session, with the primary goal of providing the female scientists with the tools required to prepare the 100 speeches that will be given on 11 February across Catalonia as part of the 100tífiques initiative, promoted by the FCRi in collaboration with the Regional Government of Catalonia’s Department of Education and the BIST, to celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

The session witnessed the presentation of several initiatives that aim to bring science closer to students (such as the Tandem and Magnet programmes, which benefit from the participation of two BIST centres, the IRB Barcelona and the IBEC, respectively); the strategies currently being used by the Department of Education to promote STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) in Catalan schools; and two master classes—one from coach and consultant Ander Mimenza (Breaking STEM stereotypes in the promotion of women in science) and the other from Mar Carrió, lecturer at Pompeu Fabra University (How to raise interest and increase involvement in science?). The training received during the event was crucial for preparing and standardising the content and communication strategies for the conferences to be held on 11 February.

The meeting was also designed to increase interaction between female researchers and technologists to “create community” and to encourage their active participation in the teaching of science. “We are adding specific content to BIST training programmes to reinforce skills in the teaching of science, as we are convinced that, when added to their vast research experience, this will enable our scientists to make positive contributions to the scientific education system”. These were the words of Nuria Bayó, Academic Programme director of the BIST and coordinator of the BIST-100tífiques event.